What were you expecting? It's an N/A 2.5 H4 with 175hp that has to move a 4,000+ vehicle the size of the last generation Ford Explorer? Just because it was a six speed wasn't going to make it faster...

it only weighs 3,400 pounds. about the same as my wife's 03 legacy automatic. i was expecting short gears from 1-3 to get it through the rpm band quickly but instead it was taking it's time climbing the rpm's. the engine was quite loud as well thanks to the switch from a belt to a timing chain.